Hazel Park Racing enjoyed another successful outing on Friday, with Villasaurus claiming victory first-up at Wagga to record his fifth win from 14 career starts.
The race wasn’t without drama, however. Neighbouring trainer Kym Davidson looked to have secured the win before jockey Blaike McDougall, aboard Villasaurus, lodged a protest against fellow rider John Kissick, who partnered Canny Hell. McDougall alleged that interference had occurred in the final stages when Canny Hell shifted off the fence.
After reviewing the footage and hearing submissions from all parties, SDRA Stewards determined that the interference had indeed impacted the result and that Villasaurus would have won the race if not for the incident. The protest was subsequently upheld, awarding the win to Villasaurus.
Trainer Donna Scott was thrilled with the outcome and praised her horse’s determination.
“I’m currently weighing up my options and considering running this horse in the Gundagai Cup,” Scott said. “It carries Big Dance eligibility, which offers some very lucrative prizemoney in metropolitan NSW.”
The win marks another strong performance from the consistent gelding, who continues to impress both his connections and racing fans alike.
images: trackpix